Outgoing officials in the Grand Old Party threw a $5,000 Christmas party in December before hitting the exits, leaving the Macomb GOP nearly broke as new leadership takes over for 2013-14.

Critics say the diversion of funds to a Yuletide celebration may have cost the Republicans two or three seats on the Macomb County Board of Commissioners in the November elections. The $5,000 price tag was more than double the total amount spent to assist Republican candidates across the county in the crucial final weeks of the 2012 campaign.

“When I found out that they had that much money left at the end of the year (a little more than $5,000), I was irritated. Then when I found out it was spent on a Christmas party, I was really irritated,” said former county board chair Kathy Vosburg.

A Chesterfield Township Republican, Vosburg lost her bid to serve two more years as board chair after the Democrats established a 9-4 majority on the board in the November elections. Based on internal polling, Vosburg said at least three races were in play but all were lost by the GOP.

In an unprecedented move, the Dec. 13 Christmas party was a by-invitation-only event that excluded numerous party activists and officers. The bash marked the last gathering of a tea party-led group that took control of the Macomb GOP in 2010, leading to two years of upheaval and internal battles. That group was ousted by the party faithful at a November county convention.

The holiday party, held at the Luxurious Palazzo Grande banquet hall in Shelby Township, took place just a few weeks after Rob Montilla of Macomb Township was essentially elected as the new party chair. Montilla and other party officials, including the 2009-10 chairman, Jared Maynard of Harrison Township, were not invited to the event.

“I have been in a leadership position in the party for 10 years,” Maynard said, “and this is the most brazen misspending of campaign funds I have ever seen. It was a significant factor in our election defeats.”

In response to a Macomb Daily request for an interview, the 2012 party chair, Barbara Van Syckle of Shelby Township, issued a statement to the newspaper: “The Dec. 13 event was a thank you reception, a common past practice for county chairs, for the hard working volunteers and donors to the MCRP in 2011 and 2012. We budgeted money for this event knowing 2012 would be an intense political year.”

But GOP veterans say past Christmas events consisted of “pot luck” dinners or small parties where those attending bought tickets to pay for the festivities.

Stan Grot, a key figure on the GOP’s Finance Committee and the Shelby Township clerk, could not be reached for comment.

According to campaign finance reports filed with the state, the Macomb GOP in the 2012 general election cycle distributed its funds to candidates for state representative, township boards and county board. They also donated to nominees for statewide office such as the state Board of Education or the University of Michigan Board of Regents.

The largest group of recipients was the GOP’s lineup of county board candidates, most of whom received $500 or $250 each. The two big targets for help were commissioner candidate Mary Kamp of Warren and a contender for county treasurer, Larry Rocca. Kamp, Rocca and all the Republican non-incumbents lost.

The new party chairman, Montilla, who took office Jan. 1, said he is seeking a detailed explanation of the Christmas merrymaking, including line items that specify expenses.

The GOP treasurer who was bounced last month, Ann Brown of Shelby Township, could not be reached for comment.

“Different leaders will spend money in different ways,” Montilla said. “That (the Christmas party) is not the way we would have spent party funds.”

Because of ongoing intramural fighting, Montilla, associated with the traditional party membership which is led by U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, became the Macomb GOP’s fourth chairman in four years.